When Bonding Over a Game of Catch Doesn't Cut It
by vikymarvel
Summary: Highschool AU. Minato/Naruto-centered. Will contain NaruHina. Naruto is just a normal kid going through normal, teenage drama. However, he might not have such a normal past, and that past could bite him in the ass now that his father, Namikaze Minato, appeared into his life after a 16 year-long absence. FLUFF, LOVE, with some ANGST on the side.
1. Chapter 1

**-fidgets fidgets- Ok so I'm really not sure about this. I'm not too sure where this is going, or if I'll follow through til the end. All I know is I luuurve Naruto (and Minato~) so I've been meaning to write a fanfic about them for a while. So this began.**

**I just completed a Shingeki no Kyojin fic recently, and writing it was really fun. Especially since I had a bunch of great reviewers (I'm shouting out to you, my friends :'D). I hope this will be just as much fun ^v^**

**Warnings are: Language, a bit of OOCness (I will strive to keep it at a strict minimum!), violence (?), and bad jokes.**

**Enjoy!**

**Ps: About OOCness: you might notice characters act differently than they do in the anime/manga. I've depicted more how they were in the beginnings of Naruto, to allow their characters to grow! So yeah =u=**

**Chapter 1: Is This What They Call a Teenage Crisis?**

''Hey, did you hear? That Uzumaki kid's at it again.''

''Huh?''

''A fight, dumbass. He picked another fight. C'mon!''

Word spread fast within the narrow walls of a highschool building. Every student's lips, whether they whispered or screamed, became the equivalent of megaphones. What happened on the highest floor was the talk of the basement in a moment's notice, and vice-versa. The only shot one had at being spared these childish antics was to stay barricaded in the classrooms: there, the rare breed of quiet, self-relient students could find peace from their peers. Because, evidently, the louder students fled the ''glorified jail cells'' as soon as the sound of the bell granted them permission.

The current day brought no change to this decades old routine. It was a rather normal Tuesday; teens were not as glum as the day before, Monday, but still far from the hype they would experience three days later; Friday. It was an unusually hot september day, making adults and youngsters alike just a little more irritated than the norm. It's no fun to have your damn clothes stick to your damn skin, or to smell the collective stench of sweaty armpits with every breath, after all. Aside from that, it was a run-of-the-mill, regular school day.

Hinata Hyuuga, one of the aforementioned 'quiet students', was enjoying her lunch break with her friends in a third-floor classroom, as per tradition. The first floor had too much hustle and bustle for someone like her, who could barely handle taking the morning train. Mind you, she didn't take the morning train. She was driven to school in a black BMW everyday by one of her father's immediate staff. That comparison notwithstanding, Hinata was much too fragile to roam the first floor during lunch time, where the old ladies at the food counter couldn't even hear her soft voice over the ruckus.

She opened her lunchbox filled with nutritious, choice food. It seemed the Hyuuga cook had gone for a vegan approach today. Not that she cared much for expensive tastes: she went along with what being from a wealthy family brought, she wouldn't have minded eating baloney sandwiches like the rest of the student body. In fact, she would have preferred it. At least that way she wouldn't have to feel like there was a natural separation between them and her. Those thoughts were running through her mind as she slid the lunchbox over the desk towards her friend.

''Would you like some, Shino?''she asked softly.

The taciturn, borderline gloomy boy glanced over at the content of the box, before reaching in with a curt nod. The nod was meant to convey gratitude. Of course, Hinata caught onto it and smiled warmly, glad to have pleased her friend. Shino never had much to eat, she had noticed this a while ago, so she had taken it upon herself to give him the sustenance he needed. That being said, she also shared with her other friends.

The peaceful mood was shattered when one of her rare male friends, Inuzuka Kiba, came crashing through the door. Hinata jumped, nearly falling off her seat. The exuberant boy stood in the doorway, hands squeezing each side of the frama as if he was holding back a great deal of emotions. His eyes were wide with excitement, and he was panting in an exaggerated manner. Scanning the room for his two closest companions, he yelled:

''Oi, Hinata! Shino! Ya gotta come see this!''

''W-what's wrong, Kiba-kun?''

''Naruto's getting his ass handed to him by some third-years!''

''Na-! Naruto-kun...?''

While Hinata became increasingly flustered at the name of the man of her dreams being mentioned, Shino merely clicked his tongue, barely looking over at Kiba to acknowledge his presence.

''That hardly seems like a reason to disturb our meal.''

''Tch...Why ya gotta be like this, man? C'mon, Hinata, I know you're interested in this!''

There was the slightest knowing look in Kiba's eyes, and Hinata's ever so keen senses caught on to it. She blushed a subtle shade of pink, while Kiba went on:

''At times like these, you must prove yourself to be a proper waifu. So, let's go!''

''W-w-waifu?!''

Kiba bolted up to her, clearly incapable of dealing with more hesitation from his 'cautious' friend, and grabbed her by the wrist. He dragged her out of the classroom, despite her protests. No actual protests were made, more like a jumble of incomprehensible bits of words and sounds. Not that any of it mattered. Sighing at the sight of his friends disappearing, Shino got up and reluctantly picked up their things. Then, he followed suit. Because no matter how he bitched and moaned, he still had the need to belong, like every other growing kid out there.

The three of them rushed – ok, so Kiba rushed – down the flight of stairs and straight to the main hall. There, a crowd had gathered, in the obvious shape of a circle. Third-years in the front, second-years in the middle, first-years in the rear, hanging back because they were too intimidated but nonetheless buzzing about like annoying little bees. Ignoring the order of things, Kiba pushed through the mass of students, Hinata in tow, and made it to the ''inner ring''. Only then did he let go of her and observed the spectacle offered to him.

''Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!''

The familiar chant was meant for the people inside the circle, in this case the people of interest. There were three third-years Kiba didn't recognize. They were all of average-to-good build, and one of them seemed like he had seen better days. He had a black eye, and a broken nose. It wasn't pretty. Poor sap needed to be supported by one of the other two, while the last one remaining faced someone Kiba – as well as the entire school – knew all too well.

Uzumaki Naruto was famous for many things in their small town highschool. One, he was a notorious class idiot: with no good grades to speak of whatsoever and a history of practical pranks and crazy stunts. Two - and this belief had gained strength recently -, he was an agressive little shit. He picked fights with just about anyone who looked at him funny. However – and this being where the third point kicked in -, scarce were the times he actually won a fight. Thus, he was also famous as a sore loser.

_Well_, Kiba thought absently, _he did manage to re-arrange that guy's face, but that was probably out of surprise. Now that these guys have had the time to react, they're gonna beat the living shit outta him. _Kiba smiled crookedly. _What an idiot..._He glanced over at Hinata. The girl looked absolutely mortified, clutching at her shirt desperately, like it kept her from stepping in and getting herself killed. Kiba sighed. She was hopeless.

He looked around and spotted more familiar faces. There was the corner of gossip girls: Sakura the dunce and her ditzy friends. They appeared to be giggling at the scene, fancying themselves _much _smarter than the immature guys involved in the fight. Kiba then spotted Shikamaru and his best friend Chouji. The former seemed bored as usual, yawning out in the open despite what was going on. Finally, there were few more of his friends standing around, poking through the crowd.

Naruto stood facing the bulky third year, right leg slightly forward in what looked like a defensive stance. No amount of defense was going to save him from his ''opponent's'' right drive heading for his face though...Yeah, that one had to hurt. Naruto stammered back, hands clutching his bruised cheek. He barely had time to clench his fists before the third-years knee connected with his gut and he toppled over, hacking and gasping for breath.

''Heh, had enough?''

''Kh...!''Naruto cussed under his breath.''Shut your fucking mouth, dipshit...''

That last comment did not amuse the third-year. He was geared for another punch when a calm voice broke through the noise of the crowd:

''Yep, he's had enough.''

The third-year jumped, noticing the tall, lean figure that now stood between Naruto and him. _When did he..._Hatake Kakashi, homeroom teacher, idolized by the girls and envied/feared by the boys, had nothing short of materialized in the circle. As usual, his demeanor was calm, like he was very mildly interested in the little show the kids were putting on. He had one of his...questionable books in hand, and he merely cast a small glance at the older student before returning to his reading.

''Show's over'', he said with a dismissive wave. ''Go about your business now.''

Surely enough, the majority of the crowd dispersed in under a second. Kakashi was no one to mess with, and even the worse basket cases of the school knew it. The few teenagers that remained kept their distances, watching from afar as the third-year scrunched up his face in frustration and argued:

''The punk started it!''

Kakashi turned to look and him with the most patronizing smile one had ever seen.

''Do you have a brother in grade school, Sousuke-kun?''

Or so was his name, apparently. Leave it to Kakashi to know everything. In any case, Sousuke gave the teacher a startled look, before nodding. Kakashi bumped his closed fist in his palm, eye twinkling, as if he'd just figured out something.

''Ahh! So that's where you get your arguments from. It all makes sense now...'', he added as he cupped his chin pensively.

Ignoring whatever poor Sousuke had to deliver next as a rebuttle, Kakashi turned to Naruto. His face now showed concern, as opposed to before. The blond was glaring at him, annoyed at having his fight being interrupted. Kakashi sighed mentally. This kid would be the death of him. Before the loud-mouth could say anything, Kakashi raised a hand and said:

''Naruto, you're coming with me. Quietly, now.''

Without awaiting the boy's response, Kakashi started walking away. Begrudgingly, Naruto followed suit, sending Sousuke a glare on his way. The third-year responded with a mocking smirk: Naruto was the only one getting in trouble, as it seemed. He motioned at his friends to join him and they left, no longer bothering with this shit. The last of the by-standers scattered: clearly the altercation was over. It had ended like many times before.

Hinata watched the object of her desire walk away, hands still locked like she was doing a silent prayer. Kiba tugged at her shoulder, trying to get her to budge.

''Come on, Hinata, let's go'', he urged.

''But...''

The rest of her sentence died as she watched Naruto head into the staircase and out of sight.

* * *

Naruto stared punily at the floor of the living room as the man in front of him paced back and forth. Since the walk home, all anger had evaporated and been replaced by a feeling of self-loathing. This was the third time his guardian had been called to the school. This was the third time they went back home to have a talk. Naruto had to get his act together. He knew it; he repeated it to himself over and over. He knew he was being a brat.

''This is the third I've been called to school, ya know? You really oughta get your act together!''

But then, when the same words came out of someone else's mouth, he lost all tolerance towards them. Frowning, Naruto argued:

''Says the guy who continues to sneak into women's bath houses like a freakin' hormonal teenager!''

Jiraiya gasped, lifting his hands before him like he was blocking an invisible attack. His face was flushed from having his shameful secret announced so casually, and Naruto had to resist gagging: a man in his fifties blushing was not a sight he had particularly wanted to bear witness to. Now it could never be unseen. Jiraiya seemed to calm himself a little, instead crossing his arms and taking on a hefty tone.

''Geh! You've got quite the mouth on you, kiddo! Maybe I should go Sage mode on you, I wonder...''

''Don't. Please''

Naruto looked at him with an honest, pleading expression. Another sight he could do without was that of his grandfather donning a wig, red eye shadow and frog plushies on his shoulders, then prancing around like a retard doing his ''hermit dance''. Jiraiya had a fixation with frogs, somehow...Not that Naruto could blame him. Frogs were awesome. He kept a frog plushie of his own, one he fondly called Gama-chan, in his room.

...It was a childhood memento! How was an old man like Jiraiya supposed to know what kids normally liked? He didn't, and so Naruto got a frog. And despite all odds, Naruto had become greatly attached to it. Getting off-topic again. Jiraiya let out a huff, arms still crossed, and said:

''In that case, would you care to explain to me why you started the fight?''

Naruto pouted, looking away.

''It was nothing, really...Something stupid.''

''So I expect, you _are _an idiot after all. Now, out with it!''

Naruto gave him a rueful glare. How dare he insult him so casually?! Although that was how they rolled everyday, so he wasn't all that angry about it. He called him a perveted sage, Jiraiya called him an idiot, most of the time. As a matter of fact, if they were to stop acting that way, it would be weird. Naruto kept his eyes on the floor, and muttered:

''Seriously, it was nothing...I was trying to go to the cafeteria, and they were blocking the way...And you know how I hate to wait around...''

Jiraiya listened intently to his grandson's retelling of the story. Brief, maybe, but still important. He understood right away what had happened, and why Naruto was so reluctant to talk about it. Having people crowd the hallways, doing handshakes or chattering about this or that mundane thing was indeed obnoxious, but not enough to start a fight over it. Unless you were Naruto, and you had a minor temper problem.

The middle-aged man sighed, scratching his big mop of white hair absent-mindedly. Then, he reached over and patted Naruto on the head.

''It's ok, Naruto. I'm sure you at least asked them politely before resorting to violence.''

Naruto glared up at him. Was he really humoring him at a time like this? When he saw Jiraiya's gentle smile, however, his features softened. Looking down, he mumbled:

''Yeah...but they provoked me.''

''A predictable reaction, followed by a predictable outcome'', Jiraiya nodded. ''It's ok, all is forgiven.''

''Seriously?''Naruto asked with a dubious look.

''Sure! I've already done the scolding Sarutobi-sensei told me to do, now I'm finished. Just uh, go think about what you did or something. And meditate!''

Naruto rolled his eyes at this. Always trying to get him to meditate. He got up and turned around, his back facing Jiraiya. As he left, he said:

''Thanks, ero-sennin.''

''Oi, what's with the glum look, kid?''

''Huh?''Naruto asked, looking over his shoulder.

''That ''woe is me, nobody understands the burden I bear'' look! You're off the hook, so what's wrong?''

''Nothing...''

Naruto looked away. It was just like Jiraiya said: he should've been in a lighter mood, now that the fight was behind him and he hadn't gotten any punishment. He was, somewhat. But still, he sulked about something. That something had an arrogant, 'slappable' face and was called Sasuke Uchiha. _He was there, and he saw me...so why didn't he..._Naruto shook his head. He already knew the answer.

''I've got homework to do, so...''

Jiraiya watched him go, a somewhat weary look on his face. He heard Naruto's door close and sat down, letting out a sigh. He turned his head to look out the window, to the stretch of blue sky. He could've gone for some sake right now. And girls. One, no two girls, one for each arm. That would have been much easier to deal with than a sixteen year-old boy in the middle of his teenage crisis. He wasn't cut out for this. He even knew he should have been more strict just now, but he couldn't help being forgiving to his cute grandson.

_Say, Minato, are you thinking of taking back your responsibilities as his father any time soon?_

* * *

**_So I don't know how many among you liked/still like highschool, but I pretty much hated it, and I think it shows in this chapter XD I'm one of the people who fled the noise downstairs during breaks and lunch, and it pissed me off so much when people would block the way in the halls for no good reason whenever I was trying to get the hell outta there! _**

**Anyway, hope you liked this first chapter! **


	2. Chapter 2

**Two things. 1) A friend made me realize how Sousuke and Sasuke's name resembled each other. It wasn't on purpose, I swear! I just thought of a random name, for an unimportant character T-T**

**2)I don't HATE Sakura, but I don't like her either. However, I'm making her out to be MUCH worse than she is in the anime/manga because, well, every high school story needs a hate-able character, and I chose her. Derp. **

**Also I barely glanced over this for mistakes, so expect many typos XD**

**Thanks for the faves/follows!**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 2: Enter the Deadbeat Dad!**

Naruto sat on the floor of his room, mulling over his thoughts. Jiraiya was right about one thing: he did have those ''nobody understands me'' moments. He was having one right now. Only, his guardian was just outside the door, willing and able to listen to his problems, whatever they were. But no, he chose to keep it all to himself like some emotionally-stunted brat. He was aware of this, yet he didn't move from his spot, instead lying on his back and staring up at the ceiling.

The fight had honestly meant nothing to him. A bunch of dumb, self-absorbed third years were blocking his way in the hall, refusing to move when he'd asked them the first time. Then, his temper kicking in, Naruto had shoved past them. Clearly, the third-years did not take lightly to that, since the fight ensued. Until Kakashi intervened and Naruto was sent to see the principal; Sarutobi Hiruzen, a decrepit, though kind old man.

The blond frowned slightly as it dawned upon him that this time, like nearly every previous times, only he got into trouble. Granted, it wasn't anything big. He was just sent to the principal and Jiraiya had been notified, but that was it. Nevertheless, that bastard Sousuke hadn't gotten so much as a slap on the wrist. Naruto clenched his teeth. Teachers were being unfair to him as always. He swore he'd give Kakashi an earful about it tomorrow.

Then, there was Sasuke. Naruto did not want to go over this again, but there was such a thing as a natural law stipulating he had to angst over everything Sasuke, whenever reason enough arose. In other words, whenever something was Sasuke-related, he had to think about it. Antagonize himself over it. Flip it on every side, look at it from every angle, until he couldn't deal anymore. That was the law of Naruto Uzumaki. A law he couldn't control. He sure wished he could.

When Kakashi had stopped the fight and escorted Naruto away, the boy had spotted Sasuke a few meters away. The Uchiha-bred had seemingly watched the scene unravel, but all Naruto had time to see was his old friend turn his head away, a bored expression on his face. He had left without so much as a glance towards Naruto while said blond was being brought to the principal's. At the time, Naruto had felt a pang of sadness. There was once a time where the two of them would have had each other's backs in that kind of situation.

Naruto clicked his tongue. _No point thinking about this now...Man, I'm tired._ He rolled over on his stomach, grabbing hold of Gama-chan. The plushie had fallen from his bed and onto the floor, just within reach. Finally something positive out of this crummy day. He buried his face in the frog's belly. No, he wasn't going to scream into like some people did to relieve their stress or anger. Simply having the frog near reminded him of better times and served to soothe him. Within a minute, he had forgotten about Sasuke-teme.

His childhood had been pretty uneventful, with its ups and its downs. He had trouble making friends, because of his tendency to get confrontational out of the blue, and that problem followed him still today. He wasn't shunned like some kind of demon fox or anything, but most people steered clear of him. Since elementary school, parents didn't want their kids hanging out with a troublemaker; a label that had stuck all these years. Fortunately for him – and this was one good thing about high school in this case– kids didn't give a flying fuck what their parents thought anymore, so that was no longer a problem. The problem now was his own fear of approaching people, at this stage in his life where he had negligible people skills.

The only person he had ever reached out to and befriended was Sasu-ok, not going there. Either way, he was now sixteen years old, and had a lot of lost time to catch up on. Naruto buried his head in Gama-chan's belly again. He didn't feel like thinking about that either. Making friends was a prospect far too vague and foreign and complicated and scary for him to think about at this hour when he just wanted to sulk and reminisce about the past in peace.

Most of the good memories from his childhood involved Jiraiya. The old man was very clumsy at his parenting job; struggling to find the right words when scolding or encouraging little Naruto, or failing to understand basic facts like minors not being allowed to drink. Yeah, Naruto had been tipsy a few times as a kid, courtesy of Jiraiya's carelessness. That and, he could no longer count on his fingers the number of times Jiraiya had gotten home loaded, drunken girls hanging on his arms. During those times, Naruto locked himself in his room.

That being said, this was only the negative side of Jiraiya. In spite of it, he had managed to be a good caretaker all these years. He had been in the army during his younger days, and had saved enough money to buy a house, the one Naruto now called home. Jiraiya was now a part-time author. His earlier books meeting little success, he had resorted to writing sleazy novels. This endeavor had turned out to be his natural calling, and the royalties he got from his books earned him enough to make ends meet. In that sense, while they were far from being rich, Jiraiya and Naruto had always lived comfortably. Jiraiya had always provided for him, be it clothes, school supplies, toys...Naruto had never missed out on something.

And while the women-crazed geezer hadn't always been able to be there for him, he had certainly tried his best. Once again, Jiraiya was clumsy in his parenting, so the best Naruto got was an awkward pat on the back or a long, disorganized pep talk, but it was better than nothing. Furthermore, Jiraiya had been a good listener throughout the years, in the rare moments Naruto chose to actually open up to him. Naruto owed Jiraiya his sanity: without the old man's presence, he would probably be far worse than he was now.

_Still...having an actual father would've been nice. _Naruto regretted the thought as soon as it crossed his mind. He didn't have parents, and that would not change. He'd gone through sixteen years of his life without any; he was perfectly fine like that. Thinking about it simply frustrated him, and he didn't need his temper flaring up again today. Squeezing Gama-chan against him for the third time, he let his thoughts wander.

Sleep was beginning to get to him. He crawled onto his bed, still fully dressed, and closed his eyes. It didn't take him long to drift off.

* * *

_''Oi, dimwit! You're going to be late!''_

It was with those words – and a fist to the skull – that Naruto had been pulled from his slumber. From then, he had jumped out of bed, wriggled out of his clothes and slipped into clean ones. Flying out of his room with his bag carelessly slung over his shoulder, he grabbed a piece of toast – oh, the cliché! - and ran out of the house. Jiraiya watched him go, waving with a tired smile on his face. _Good grief, it's like this every morning..._

Naruto arrived at the school gates, bent over his knees and completely out of breath. Luckily for him, he didn't live that far away. Walking there took him about fifteen minutes, at a normal pace. Thus, running had taken him five minutes. More like seven, but who's counting? Either way, it seemed he had made it in time. Students were still filing in the school, haggard looks on their faces like they had spent the whole night up. Not that going to school wasn't reason enough to be depressed.

The blond blended in with the crowd, slipping through the mass of people and entering the school without making a scene, which was pretty impressive in itself. He kept his thoughts focused solely on getting to class, preventing his angrier side to flare up, even when he spotted that third-year bastard at the end of the hall. Four minutes later, books in hand, he reached his homeroom class. Glancing at the clock, he allowed himself a smirk. Three minutes to spare.

Hinata was chattering leisurely with her friends, near her desk. As usual, Sakura and Ino spoke the most, loudly and clearly, barely allowing her a word in edgewise. Tenten was also quite lively, although less than the other two. Hinata tried her best to add to their conversation, but found herself slowly fading into the background. She felt a pain in her chest: why couldn't she feel at ease with her own friends? Why did she feel like she didn't even belong with them?

It was her own fault, undoubtedly. She was sixteen, yet she couldn't speak up among her friends? How pathetic! If she was surrounded with extroverted people such as the three girls around her, one would think she would have picked up the attitude. That was not the case, seeing as she had trouble keeping up with them from the start, and had just given up on trying at some point. She had thought she would be content just having friends. But this didn't feel good at all. Why did Kiba and Shino have to be in a different class? With them, at least, she felt in her place.

Suddenly, she spotted Naruto entering the classroom. Her worries were pushed into oblivion as all her thoughts turned to him. His hair was tousled, and he was panting slightly. His eyes were red, suggesting he'd woken up abruptly. Still, to Hinata, he appeared as handsome as always. His clenched jaw showed the determination that had gotten him to school, while his somewhat slouched posture gave off a nonchalant aura. Realizing her mind was wandering, she snapped out of it, but not before her friends could pick up on her inner turmoil and ask:

''Hey, what's up, Hinata?''

Ino looked to where Hinata had been staring and turned around, a smirk playing on her lips.

''Ohhh, I see~''

''W-what?''Hinata stuttered.

''Hi-na-ta, it's so obvious when you're feeling boy-crazy!''

''Ehhh? Hinata's actually into boys?''Sakura chimed mockingly. ''Who would have thought?''

Ino looked at her best friend like she had the word 'idiot' printed on her gigantic forehead. Crossing her arms, she asked:

''Wow, you're really a dunce, Sakura! You mean you didn't know Hinata was into-''

''I-Ino-chan, p-please don't say it'', Hinata pleaded, cheeks red.

''Aw, c'mon, Hinata! Why not? We all know already, there's just Sakura left!'' Tenten argued.

''Yeah!''Sakura exclaimed.

''Still'', Ino said, rolling her eyes, ''the fact you can't figure it out by yourself makes me not wanna tell you.''

''Naruto's looking pretty down, huh? You should go cheer him up, Hinata~''Tenten hummed, nudging the poor girl's side.

''Why are we talking about that idiot Naruto all of a sudden?''Sakura frowned.

''Look who's talking...'', Ino sighed.

While Sakura scowled and started a fit over Ino's words, the girls turned their attention to Hinata. Said young woman was currently being overwhelmed by their fast-paced conversation, but once the focus was put on her, she froze. Her friends looked at her like they were hyenas and she was the poor little gazelle about to get hunted down and eaten. She backed away, but Tenten and Ino each grabbed hold of one arm and shoved her towards the unassuming boy.

Shuffling to his desk, Naruto plopped down onto his seat and layed his head down. He was tired from running to school, and from his angst-filled night, so a little nap was in order. Maybe it wasn't the best idea ever, given what little time was left before class began, but that was the least of his concern. Someone would wake him up in time, right? Yeah, that would be the day..._Whatever, Kakashi-sensei won't mind._

''U-um...Good morning, N-Naruto-kun...''

Just as Naruto lazily lifted his head to look up at her, Kakashi walked into the room, announcing:

''Okaaay, class. Everybody take a seat, we're getting started.''

Hinata jumped. She looked around and noticed that everybody had sat down already, and she was singled out: the only one standing up...next to someone else's desk to boot! Moreover, Naruto seemed still in the clutches of sleep, so he looked at her with glazed eyes, seemingly confused as to who she was or why she was standing there. Hinata blushed furiously, unable to say anything in her defense or even move to go back to her seat, for that matter. Kakashi raised a curious eyebrow and asked:

''Hinata, is something the matter?''

Giggles were heard left and right, and Hinata looked like she wanted to vanish into thin air. Where she usually wished to have a stronger presence, now she would have preferred being invisible. Lowering her head and shaking it, she managed to return to her seat. Sitting down without a word, she kept her eyes bored into the surface of the desk, refusing to meet the stares of her classmates. She knew that right now, her friends were probably laughing their makeup off.

Naruto blinked, his hazy vision coming into focus. His mouth was agape, giving himself the look of quite the simpleton. A trickle of saliva was all that was left to complete the image, but fortunately for him he hadn't dozed off long enough to produce one. Blinking again, he wondered why there had been a girl standing next to him. He hadn't gotten that good a look at her, but now that he was able to think again, he recognized her as Hinata Hyuuga, a plain and somewhat weird girl. _Did she wake me up..._, Naruto thought absently.

In any case, for once class had started without Kakashi throwing a barb at him for sleeping in class again. Naruto was thankful enough for that. Leaning his chin in his palm, he turned half his attention to the teacher's lecture, and the other half to whatever random thoughts crossed his mind. He snuck a glance at Hinata, seeing her hunched over her desk, head lowered like she was muttering to herself. _Weird, _he thought as his eyes drifted to the window.

* * *

After a long and overall useless day, Naruto trudged back home. As he left the school gates, he saw Sasuke leaving the opposite direction and turned his head, shoving his hands into his pockets. The bastard didn't even need to walk. His family was loaded like the Hyuugas, so he could have a private chauffeur should he want to. Yet, Sasuke refused, probably trying the girls to swoon over his 'humble rich man' persona. Naruto stuck out his tongue exaggeratedly.

''Idiiiot'', he slurred.

He spotted Sakura and Ino walking home together, just a little ahead of him. He blushed a soft pink and looked away, needlessly worried that the girls would look back and notice he was staring. He slowed his pace, ensuring he kept a safe distance from them. After all, though she haunted his daydreams, Haruno Sakura was part of the people who couldn't stand him. She rarely ever acknowledged him, and when she did, it was out of spite. All his encounters with her ended badly, and he'd learned his lesson after a while.

He let out a lovelorn sigh. Sakura was pretty and always full of energy. A little too boisterous, maybe, but so was he. They were similar in that sense, so he'd been drawn to her from the start. It was a foolish infatuation, but it was stubborn. There had been many times when, frustrated, he had thought of forgetting all about her, but he had found that letting go wasn't easy. Not when you were stupid, or had a ridiculous amount of determination like Naruto. Naruto fell into both those categories, of course.

''So did you hear there's going to be a transfer student?''Ino said.

''Seriously? Where'd you hear that from?''

''I asked Asuma-sensei. All I had to do was bat my eyelashes at him and he was spilling the beans already!''

''Yeeesh, Ino! Seducing a teacher like that? You're such a slut!''

Naruto missed the rest of their conversation, seeing as they had turned into a different street. _A transfer student, huh? _The news managed to mildly interest him. What kind of person would he or she be? Could he befriend them, maybe? How long before he or she became biased about Naruto and refused to approach him, like all the rest? Naruto shook his head. He'd already sworn off angst for today. He wasn't spending another restless night.

Opening the door to his house, he instantly knew that something was off. He heard voices from the living room, and tiptoed his way to it. Peeking into the room, he saw Jiraiya sitting down on one of the couches. The other couch was occupied by someone else, someone Naruto didn't recognize. Granted, from where he stood all Naruto saw was blonde hair. Controlling his anticipation, the boy entered the room as nonchalantly as he could.

Upon seeing him, Jiraiya got up much too fast for his liking, exclaiming:

''Oh, Naruto! You're back.''

''Yeah...What's up, Ero-sennin? Who's this guy?''

''Ah, well. This man...How to put this?''

The man got up as well, holding out his hand to Jiraiya as if to politely silence.

''It's ok, Jiraiya-san. I'll handle it from here.''

Naruto turned towards the stranger, frowning ever so slightly. Sky blue eyes stared into his own, in a way that managed to unnerve him. The man had blonde hair in spiky tufts much like his own. He was tall, and lean, with an undeniable presence even Naruto had to acknowledge. It was like standing in the same room as an important figure, or a celebrity. He was smiling softly, a smile that could make a girl faint, or so it would in movies. Or anime.

''It's nice to finally meet you...Naruto.''

At his name being called by a stranger, Naruto couldn't help but be defensive.

''Sure, but who are you?''

The man chuckled; once again looking like he was straight out of a chick flick. Or a shoujo anime. I'm not letting go of this one. He paused briefly, like he was gathering the nerve to say whatever he was about to say. Naruto could only grow more impatient, his frown deepening as he waited for the guest to spill his guts already. Finally, the man seemed to relax and said:

''I'm your father.''

* * *

**Dun dun dun. This was not meant to be a surprise: we all knew this was coming XD **

**My admiration for Minato showed a lot, I guess. Sorry for that little 1st person narrator bit. XD **

**Hope you liked it!**


	3. Chapter 3

**You know, I REMEMBER saying this story would be full of LOVE and FLUFF, yet I've just given you this chapter full of DRAMA...Frankly, I'm quite fed up with myself. Also, I feel like my description of feelings is kind of all over the place. But hey, I've never been in Naruto's situation, so...**

**Anyway, I'll have to put more fluff in the next chapter. **

**2 things. 1)Naruto doesn't have the kyuubi. (Duuuh) BUT, the kyuubi still manifests in him in the form of his temper. It's a legit problem he has guys. I feel the need to stress it since it explains many of his reactions to things**

**2) Minato. That man's personality is one elusive thing, let me tell you. I'm basing myself on what I've seen in the manga/anime, and also on the movies where he appears (Lost Tower and Road to Ninja -drools-) to write him. But he's really hard to portray accurately, so please be lenient. Especially since I'm just tempted to write him out to be the Absolute Perf Human Being but that wouldn't make for a good story so I can't XD**

**fireflame1801 : Thank you ;u; you superb person. I'm glad you approve of Naruto's background, I spent a lot of time thinking about it...And I'm pleasantly surprised you find him cute, despite all I've shown of him is his angry side. Well, almost. He will be cuter in the future :3**

**Fiana Ocrisielt : If I may ask, what do you wish for me to make longer? Chapters in general or specific parts? Believe me, I'm trying my best to make descriptions long and rich . This is a lot compared to other story drafts I've made XD But if you find something specific is lacking, don't hesitate to tell me! I do tend to slack near the end of the chapter, especially when it's 3 a.m and I just can't wait to post heheh...Thank you for the review~ **

** : **As you can see, asking me when I'll update is fruitless, because by the time you read my answer, it's ALREADY HERE muahahaha. But, I'm always writing, even if it's just a little, so the chapters will come, fear not. I'm glad you enjoy my story~ Thanks for reviewing~~

**Guest: Thank you for leaving a review, luv~**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 3: Dreams on the Swings**

After the man had spoken, Naruto's thoughts started wandering. It was as if he'd heard the most ridiculous thing ever, so his mind automatically blocked it out and instead fed him mundane, everyday thoughts. What would he eat tonight? Would he bother studying for the test tomorrow? It was like his mind refused to even begin considering the guest's words. Regardless, the other continued with his gentle voice:

''This must be hard to digest, I'm sure...I'm sorry. I didn't mean to spring this on you, Naruto.''

Naruto twitched, his moment of daze coming to an end. Now, he was back to reality, where he stood in his living room, with Jiraiya and someone he _didn't know. _A _stranger. _He didn't like hearing the _stranger _call his name. Not by a long shot. It felt so...familiar. It twisted his gut. He couldn't take it. He felt like punching himself, then punching the bastard in front of him, who had the nerve to claim he was his father.

''Shut up'', he muttered.

Head lowered, Naruto saw nothing past his bangs. Hence, he couldn't see the face the impostor was making. All he knew was that a heavy silence settled in the room and suddenly there was but the sound of his own breathing. Forgetting already that he had requested that silence, Naruto gritted his teeth, getting increasingly frustrated by the absence of speech. The man seemed to like talking nonsense; so didn't he have more to say? What else would he spew Naruto's way? Wouldn't he at least try explaining himself? Naruto could take it. School had taught him all about bullshit.

As the silence stretched and Naruto was left alone in the confines of his own mind, he began to notice that frustration was an understatement. What he felt right now...was rage. He did a fantastic job keeping it in check, however, which was in itself rather impressive. Truth is, he couldn't move, and he struggled to find his voice. Why in the world was he bound this way? He did not know. He cursed himself for it; for allowing himself to be affected as such. Normally, he would already have resorted to hollering or using his fists to get his point across, now he was just plain confused as to what he wanted.

''Naruto'', the man started, softly.

''Don't you dare call me by my name like you know me'', he seethed.

There, his voice was back. As long as he focused on his anger, the rest came easily. How he should act, what he needed to say...he no longer stammered upon it. All hesitation was gone. His words were harsh, but they were befitting of a man who played with him like a toy. Jiraiya stepped forward and tried to intervene:

''Calm down...Minato has-''

Minato. That was his name. A name with a nice ring to it, a name that just rolled off one's tongue. One thing for sure, it inspired more than the thought of ramen. Despite himself, Naruto repeated the name several times in his mind, before he snapped out of it. He couldn't give this man a name. He had to remain nameless, faceless, a non person. Or else, it felt too real. It felt like he could really be his father. For all Naruto knew, his neighbor could've been his father. Anyone could make that claim. In the end, his feelings made the difference.

''Ero-sennin'', Naruto interrupted. ''That's enough.''

Still, Minato stayed quiet. Once more, Naruto refused to look at his face. How could he? He was supposed to be a non person, right? In that case, he couldn't have feelings. If Naruto started taking his feelings into consideration, then he'd act differently, maybe, and...either way, he wasn't letting this impostor get to him in any way. Who think he was, anyway?

''Coming into my house, pretending you're my fahter, saying whatever you want...you got some nerve, ass-''

''Naruto!''Jiraiya shouted.

The teenager went quiet, surprised at Jiraiya's outburst and at his own. Mostly his own. What had happened to keeping his anger in check? Had he really been that angry in the first place? He hadn't even noticed...Ah, yes, his temper. That didn't help. Upon realizing that his fists were clenched and that his whole body was stiff from the pent-up rage, Naruto regained just enough composure to look at Minato, for the first time since he had opened his mouth.

It was unlike anything Naruto had ever seen. Minato's deep blue eyes held such sincere pain, the boy felt like it was going to make him sick. With disgust, with guilt, with conflict...The worse part was that despite the emotion behind Minato's eyes, the man's gaze did not waver, nor did it shy away from Naruto's. He did not look down, nor did he look away. He looked straight at the boy like a man brave enough to face his mistakes. Really, that was the last straw.

Minato took a step forward, but before he could even open his mouth, Naruto backed away, averting his eyes.

''Don't you dare show your face around here again!''he yelled. ''You better be gone when I come back!''

Naruto turned tail and ran. Those words best described what he was doing now. Unlike Minato, he couldn't face his feelings so fearlessly, nor could he stand watching that pitiful face. He ran out the front door, slamming it as expected of a cliché. He was running away from the room and all the unnecessary problems in it; the wish he had buried long ago, the old wound he had spent his small life mending...He was running from what he knew he'd always wanted.

Minato staggered a little, catching himself rather quickly. Covering his mouth with his palm, he looked away. Jiraiya looked at him with sympathy. _Now that his son is gone, he doesn't need to act strong anymore. Minato...this is hard for you too, isn't it? _Jiraiya looked at where Naruto once stood. _Still, the kid reacted exactly like I thought he would...Can't be helped; I know him better, even if I'm not his father._

When he put a hand on Minato's shoulder, the blonde jumped slightly. He turned towards Jiraiya and smiled sheepishly.

''Ah, sorry...I was spacing out.''

''Now now, don't let the kiddo get to you like that. There's a reason for why he reacted that way, you know? I did tell him you were dead.''

''What?!''

Jiraiya brought his arms up as a shield, like he did the many times he played around with Naruto, but no retort came. When he opened his eyes, Minato seemed in deep ponder, biting his bottom lip. _His mind is going a mile a minute, yet he doesn't lose his cool Ha! Naruto has so much to learn from the man, the idiot. _When Minato spoke next, it was under his breath, like he was debating with himself.

''Of course, it's less painful to believe that your parents are dead, rather to think they abandonned you...And now...''

Minato sighed, closing his eyes.

''What a fool I've been...It's no wonder why he hates me.''

''I wouldn't go that far. You shouldn't take that little tantrum of his too seriously, he-''

Jiraiya stopped himself in time. Naruto didn't like people mentioning his anger management problem, so letting his father know about it was definitely wrong. It wasn't his place, first of all. He thought of something better to say instead, and finished:

''He doesn't know about all you went through for him.''

''It's ok...He has every right to resent me, either way...''

In his long years of life, Jiraiya had seldom seen the Minato Namikaze sulk. The sight of the man looking so forlorn, almost like a child, was so unusual it had Jiraiya chuckling. Minato shot him a miserable stare, to which the old man simply replied:

''He calls everyone an assohole, y'know?''

''Jiraiya-saaan'', Minato whined.

''I know, I know. I'm not helping'', the middle-aged man laughed. ''But it is disturbing to see you look so depressed, so I can't help it. This tension needs to go away! Go talk to the boy already! He'll understand if you tell him everything.''

Minato looked up at him, eyes still watery. Eventually, he returned to being serious, getting a hold of himself. He looked at the front door, from where Naruto had left, and appeared to be deciding upon something. Turning to Jiraiya, he asked:

''This is a safe neighborhood, right?''

''Huh?''Jiraiya blinked. ''Yeah, as safe as it gets. Given it's still daytime, too.''

''Then there's no need in letting Naruto roam the streets for a while. He probably needs some alone time, before he can open to my story. And I need to find the right words to say too...''

Jiraiya paused for a moment, before smiling softly.

''See? You're starting to understand the kid already.''

* * *

Naruto ran until he reached the park near his house. He didn't care that he was acting so incredibly immature and typical, nor that coming here was about as bad a plan as he could come up with, since Jiraiya would probably expect him to do so. However, Naruto wasn't one to think that far ahead. All he cared about was that his was his usual spot to sulk and sulking is what he wanted to do at the moment. Sulk, rant, brood, rage, what have you...

More specifically, his spot was on the swings. Walking on the sand and cursing at how it entered his shoes, he made his way to them, scaring children away in the process. His face, contorted with the myriad of emotions listed earlier, must've been quite the intimidating sight, so they ran to their mothers, which only served to fuel Naruto's fury unconsciously. _Damn kids...I'll show them scary_, he thought to himself like a creep.

The swings had been deserted, much to his pleasure. He sat down on one, keeping his feet on the ground and holding one of the chains for balance. He stared ahead of him, vision slightly unfocused. Running here had cleared his mind a bit so that now, the sudden peace left him feeling numb. He knew he'd come here to vent and sort out his feelings – and well, simply for not being at home, with _him –_ but now that he was here, alone, he didn't even know where to start.

Dazed, he spent a few minutes simply staring ahead of him. As so, he had no other choice but to witness children playing in the park, laughing and roughousing and crying like the carefree little creatures they were. They had seemingly forgotten about him and resumed their games, under the watchful eyes of their mothers, who sat on benches and spoke among each other, gossiping and giggling and complaining...

Naruto felt the usual pain at his chest upon taking in the scene. He had always wanted this. He had always wanted a mother to look after him, to accompany him through the small adventures of life and be right there for him when each adventure ended and he needed to go to bed. How many times had he sat at this very swing and dreamed of such a blissful life, only to feel void and miserable inside afterwards? Too many times to count.

He had always wanted a father, too. Someone to teach him this or that life lesson; how to shave a his beard – he didn't have one, mind you – or how to pick up girls. He wanted someone to look up to, a model he could follow for as long as he hadn't found his own, true self. Someone he could boast about to all who would hear him. He had wanted a father who, with his strength and courage, would make him into a man.

Yet, now...

Naruto shook his head fervently. No. No way he'd accept it. That guy, that was at his house right now? There was no way he was ever acknowledging that guy as his family. Jiraiya had told him before: his father was dead. He'd died heroically or some shit, and there was no way he had actually been alive and kicking this whole time, not once bothering to drop his kid a line or something. Just thinking about it made Naruto's stomach churn, made his heart become heavy...

It was much worse, right? A father who abandonned his son, for whatever reason, without so much as a letter of apology for when he was older, or some other meaningful crap like that. It was awful, so awful Naruto preferred the phony story, with the heroic death. At least then he didn't have to feel so pathetic, he didn't have to feel like, at the moment of his birth, his father hadn't wanted him. Unfortunately, that was how felt right now. Despite himself, a tear rolled down his cheek as his fingers tightened on the metal chains.

Furthermore, the bastard decided to show up now, out of the blue. Naruto was already sixteen! In two years, he would be an adult. Legally, at least. The years where a father should be present to raise a son were beginning to be swallowed by time. Yet, Minato expected Naruto to accept him? Just like that? He seriously thought that Naruto would discard sixteen years of experience without him, and start viewing him as an integral part of his life? It was pretty damn selfish, in his opinion.

''I did every thing on my own...'', Naruto gritted to himself. ''I didn't need him then and I don't need him now.''

He ignored the empty feeling in his chest and swung him left back and forth, absent-mindedly. Suddenly, he heard the familiar _ping! _as he received a message. Surprisingly, he welcomed the interruption, and he quickly fished into his pocket for his phone. Upon reading the message, however, his foul mood returned.

[When you're done being a brat, come eat supper. Minato and I have some stuff to take care of, so just heat it up.]

The text was from Jiraiya. He was among the very few people who actually wrote out full sentences; probably because of his pride as an author. Though, the fact he texted at all was impressive enough in itself, considering the man was in his early fifties. People his age normally struggled with the concept of texting – or cell phones in general, for that matter – so much they didn't even bother trying. But no, Jiraiya was 'well with the times'. More often than not, Naruto wished he wasn't.

More importantly, what was this so-called 'stuff' they needed to deal with? When would Jiraiya cut the bullshit and throw that man out on his ass already? Naruto wasn't interested in knowing him, not now, not ever. He was curious about what those two needed to discuss, yes, but that was besides the point. Aside from that, he wanted to move on with his life, ignore this little incident like a glitch in a game, or something. Jiraiya and he had gotten by just fine on their own up until now, there was no need for change.

At least, if he went back now, he could avoid facing any of the two and go straight to his room, where he would be safe for the night. His bed sounded fantastic right now. He could bury himself under the sheets and just sleep, just forget everything until tomorrow. And if he was lucky, maybe the 'fake father' would be gone by morning.

Yeah.

If he was lucky.

After all, the dreams he'd once had on these swings were just that; dreams. The hole in his heart, caused by the absence of a father and a mother, was already far beyond fixing. It was too late now for someone to come in his life and fill it with shallow love, with empty words and promises. The kid he once was, sitting here looking at the happy families like they were on the other side of a window, was the one who had needed a parent. The Naruto now was...

''I'm just fine on my own.''

* * *

**Hope I didn't hit you too hard in the feels...jks XD I do hope this wasn't too bad though. Tell me your thoughts, and be lenient please . This chapter was 85% description, despite being as long as the previous chapter which had much more dialogue. It was _hard_. XD**

**Much love~**


	4. Chapter 4

**I've decided to start replying to reviews privately...cuz it takes too much space here and that's like me cheating to have longer chapters...herpa derp. I can't do that for guest reviews though...hmm, well, I send all my love to you anons!**

**Now I've got more space to rant about useless stuff!**

**Hehe, nah, not today. I'll just thank you all for the wonderful support~~~ You're all awesome.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 4: If Looks Could Kill**

The last thing Naruto expected in the morning was the smell of pancakes. His eyes fluttered open and the delightful aroma filled his nostrils right away. Even in the midst of sleep, Naruto found the occurence odd, because Jiraiya never cooked. He bought a bunch of miscellaneous ingredients, leaving Naruto to fend for himself. The teen ended up eating ramen most of the time, though. In any case, excluding the times they'd eaten out, Naruto had never had pancakes for breakfast.

He tried to move, only to find that he was halfway to the floor already, dangling from his mattress. The sheets were tangled around his legs, keeping him from falling. His sleep had been agitated, apparently! He struggled with the sheets to free himself, and soon he landed on the floor, flat on his face. Cussing and groaning, he sat up, rubbing his nose which was sure to be broken. He was sure of it, anyway. Once the pain had receded, he blinked towards the door.

He got up, still half-asleep, and shuffled to the kitchen. When he got there, he sat down at the table, rubbing his eyes.

''Ero-sennin...'', he yawned. ''What gives?''

''Morning, Naruto!''

Naruto's eyes widened as he looked up at the one who had just spoken. It wasn't Jiraiya's gruff, scratchy voice. It was a soft, even voice. It was undoubtedly...

''You...!''

Minato gave him a bright smile. It was almost too dazzling for Naruto to handle, so he had to narrow his eyes. Ok, so he actually did it out of spite, but that's a detail. It didn't help that the older blonde wore a light pink apron; really, the man had to be arrested for being so blatantly adorable. Naruto was about to protest, but before he could, Minato merely circled around the table and set a plate down in front of the spunky teenager.

''Now, now...How about you start by eating? You must be hungry.''

The delectable meal right under his nose, it didn't take long for temptation to take Naruto prisoner. He glared up at Minato; the man had a lot of nerve trying to buy him with food. Minato's warm smile had Naruto backing down. How could this guy do it? They weren't a family. They weren't supposed to be all lovey-dovey and—oh, forget it that looks way too good. Unable to resist any longer, Naruto chowed down on the food, ignoring Minato for the time being.

''Is it good?''Minato chuckled.

A small blush crept on Naruto's cheeks, as he briefly looked up at Minato, his eyebrows furrowed comically. Damn. He had let his guard down too easily. He just couldn't resist food, no matter the circumstances. Even now, he stuffed the pancakes down his throat, albeit while cursing the overly-positive, manipulative man putting him through this. _Stop smiling, stupid. _As a response to Minato's question, he merely grunted. Then, his mouth partially full, he asked:

''Why are you still here?''

''To insure you eat well in the morning, it seems!''

Oh. How convenient. Naruto really wished his alleged father would drop his retarded, perfect smile. He was finishing his last bite, when Minato inquired:

''So, better than ramen, right?''

''Tch. No way. Sorry, but no cooking will ever hold a candle to ramen!''

Minato looked surprised, but it seemed feigned, like he was humoring the boy.

''Oh? I'll have to improve my skills then.''

Naruto grunted, impatience getting the better of him. Now that his breakfast was consumed, he could think clearly again. The current turn of events was unacceptable: here they were, chatting merrily like a bunch of cartoon characters. Even Naruto's apathy wasn't enough to put a damper on the mood, thanks to Minato's almighty enthusiasm. Before he totally snapped, he asked:

''Where's Ero-sennin?''

Minato raised a curious eyebrow. He was no doubt wondering who in the world Ero-sennin, or perveted sage, referred to. He figured it out rather quickly, remembering Naruto had used the monicker the night earlier. Moreover, if what Minato remembered from Jiraiya remained the truth today, the name suited him like a glove. Humming pensively, he said:

''Jiraiya-san? I believe he's still asleep.''

''Like Hell. He's always up before me.''

Minato smiled sheepishly, scratching his chin.

''Well...I guess he's tired, since I kept him up late last night.''

Now that Naruto thought about it, he did recall Jiraiya saying they had things to discuss. What could have taken them so long to talk about? Despite wishing he could act like he didn't care, Naruto was not that good at controlling his emotions. He glared at Minato expectantly, but the other simply gave him an innocent smile, turning around and pretending to be busy with dishes. Naruto decided to hold off for now and instead asked another question that was nagging at him:

''Why are you up so early, then?''

Minato glanced over his shoulder at him. He took the rag and the plate he was holding, turning around to face Naruto as he dried the dish. Again, he wore a radiant smile and this time, even Naruto couldn't help but feel just a little subdued.

''I wanted to see you before you went to school'', Minato answered as if it was obvious.

Naruto's eyes widened. His body refused to respond for a few moments while he stared up at Minato stupidly. Then, lips quivering slightly, he gulped and looked away. By this...When he said that, did Minato mean seeing him off to school was reason enough to wake up? That he would bid him a safe day like normal families did as a custom? That...was something Naruto had always sought out, when he pictured what it would be like to have a real family. Thus, it went straight through his defences and left him vulnerable.

''And, like I said earlier, I wanted to make sure you get a proper breakfast'', Minato added. ''From what I hear, Jiraiya's been pretty lax about your nutrition, huh?''

In his current state, the docile Naruto could only mutter:

''Yeah...I eat instant meals most of the time...''

''So I've heard...'', Minato said with just a hint of concern in his voice. ''Don't worry, I'll make sure we all have a healthier diet now.''

''You don't need to do that...we're doing just fine. Jiraiya's in great shape for an old man...and I'm...fine too...''

He hated his weakness, but speaking quietly, in small sentences was all he could manage. Minato's words still affected him so he could neither be angry, nor could he let himself be completely won over. That would go against his previous resolve. Even if part of him wanted to just give up the tough act already. After a short silence, Naruto heard a soft sigh. He peeked up at Minato, who now wore a conciliatory smile.

''Well, I don't mind doing it. Might as well enjoy it, right?''

Naruto didn't answer. Soon, Minato glanced at the clock and found that eight O'clock was nearing. Looking at the reclused teenager, he said:

''Looks like you'll be late if you don't hurry. Go on, I'll clean up.''

Naruto's eyes slowly made their way to the clock, and it took him time to process that he was, indeed, running late. Rising from his seat, he lingered just a bit. This was so wrong. He felt so confused, so torn. And because of that, he was glum. Part of him wanted to stay and...enjoy this warmth longer. If he left and went to school, Minato could be gone by the time he came back. He would disappear again. And then, what?

''Worried? I'll be there when you come back!''Minato said cheerfully.

Naruto looked up at him, lips parted, and eyes wide once again.

''Have a safe day, Naruto.''

* * *

''Before we start homeroom, there's someone I must introduce. I'm sure you all know what I'm talking about.''

Naruto ignored Kakashi as he looked out the window, deep in ponder. His thoughts constantly returned to Minato; his warm smile, his caring words...Naruto would start feeling fuzzy inside moments before denying himself the feeling and repeating the process all over again. He had done it so much that now he was just frustrated with himself, and with everything. Staring aimlessly at the sky was about all he could endure at present.

''The transfer student, right, sensei?''Sakura chimed.

''Yep. As you and Ino are the ones who spread the rumor around, Sakura, I'm sure you're relieved to know you were right.''

The gossip maniacs glanced at each other, frowning. Was that meant to be offensive? There was never any way to tell with their teacher. Eventually, they forgot about it, focusing their attention on Kakashi words:

''Play nice with him, now. Got it?''

''Okaaay'', the class drawled in unison.

Naruto didn't bother looking up even as he heard the door slide open. The student turned their head towards the door as the transfer student walked in. Whispers rose, comments already being tossed back and forth. Naruto kept tuning out the noise, adamant about ignoring everything today. He didn't care about some transfer student: it was just a regular guy who moved and changed schools, not one of the freaking Seven World Wonders.

''Go on, introduce yourself.''

Unable to resist despite his own protests, Naruto took a peek to the front of the class, where the mysterious new arrival stood. It was a boy, of their age, naturally. He was about as tall as Naruto, if very slightly taller. He stood upright, stoically, staring at a spot at the back of the class. That is to say, he wasn't looking at anyone in the eye. Not like he was afraid, or even shy. The air about him, and his expression, suggested it was contempt.

The first thing that hit Naruto about the other boy was his eyes. They were green-blue, and cold. The kind who would leave an imprinted image, even once one's eyes were closed. The piercing eyes of a murderer. They weren't even looking at each other, yet Naruto felt a chill run down his spine. He had never seen someone who had struck him as that dangerous right off the bat. And he was sure he wasn't the only one under that impression. It seemed like suddenly, a fearful silence had settled in the class.

''Gaara.''

The boy said it with a deadpan voice, like he was just reluctantly complying to an order. His short answer given, he didn't wait for Kakashi to grant him permission and walked to the back of the class, where a seat was empty. By then, the tension in the class was still palpable, but it obviously didn't faze Kakashi in the slightest, since his drawling voice was soon heard:

''Alright, let's get class started. Prez?''

Naruto went through the motions – raise, bow, etc – by rote, his attention on the transfer student. Regardless of the threatening feeling he got from him – or should he say _because _of that feeling – Naruto now felt intrigued by the new boy. However, seeing as Naruto was in the front row – Kakashi wanted him close so he could keep his antics to a minimum – and Gaara was in the back completely, it was hard to look back unnoticed.

Sure enough, Gaara suddenly caught his stare. Naruto nearly jumped, facing front instantly. Then, he cursed himself for being such a coward, but still didn't dare look back. At this point, when Gaara was aware of it, it would just be plain rude. Not that Naruto had any manners to begin with but...it was a convenient excuse. Eventually, as class went on, his thoughts drifted from the transfer student and back to his own problems. The rest of the day passed while he remained in his trance-like state, and soon last period came.

''Oi, Naruto.''

Naruto shifted in his sleep as he felt something shake his shoulder. His eyelids were heavy, refusing to lift. It took him a hefty amount of will-power to get out of the clutches of slumber and finally open his eyes. When he did, and when his vision focused after a few moments, he looked around while the confusion wore off.

He was still in class, sitting at his desk. Apparently, he had drifted off...he did recall lying his head down in hopes of catching a quick nap. The room was empty, save for Kakashi, who stood next to him. Upon closer inspection, the young teacher bore a slight look of worry. With a rare gentle voice, he asked:

''Are you ok?''

''Huh? ...Yeah. You let me sleep through the whole class, sensei?''

''Normally, I wouldn't have'', Kakashi sighed. ''But it was clear from the moment you came in how beat you were. I decided to let it go, just this once.''

Naruto took a moment to process his words, still a bit woozy, before a grin spread across his face.

''You're an A-plus guy, Kakashi-sensei! 'Know that?''

''Yeah, yeah. Just don't make it a habit, alright? Next time, I'm pairing you up with Sai on the next project.''

''Ack! Not that! I can't work with the guy...''

''You know what to do then.''

With a nod, Naruto picked up his things and left. As he did, he felt Kakashi watch him, and he got the feeling the young teacher was holding back a question. No doubt he had noticed Naruto's unusual behavior; nothing got past Kakashi, after all. All the more reason to flee the classroom as fast as he could. The last thing he wanted was to have a pep talk with the man. While Kakashi was deserving of his full trust, it still didn't mean Naruto was willing to open up to him. Or anyone, for that matter. Well, he did open up to his shrink, but was entirely different. He didn't have a choice then.

A good ten minutes had passed since the end of class. The hallways were almost cleared; the students now using the gym or the outside field for after-school club activities. The blonde passed by all of them without a second glance – what little interest he had once held for clubs disappeared along with his willingness to make friends - until he reached the front gates. There, he stopped, standing awkwardly in the middle of the way.

He didn't want to go home. He didn't want to over-analyse why he didn't want to, either. He just didn't. But what could he occupy his time with on his own? He wasn't just going to wander around. If he went to the park, he'd be found easily. Furthermore, he would start sulking if he went there, yet he didn't want that either. He just needed something simple and mindless to help him kill time. Maybe he should've joined a club after all...

Sighing, he looked back at the gates with the face of a condemned man about to go meet his fate. That's when he noticed someone else was standing at the gates, a little ahead of him. Naruto felt his shoulders stiffen lightly as he recognized the transfer student, the quiet and menacing Gaara. His expression didn't let on much, but Naruto assumed the teen was waiting for someone. A family member that would pick him up, probably. Naruto clicked his tongue bitterly; of course he had to have someone like that.

_Wait...Isn't it late, though? _The thought struck him as his feeling of jealousy began to fade. At this time, parents had already come to pick up their kids, save for those who had club activities. That being said, Gaara was still waiting here, alone. Naruto observed him curiously, trying to gather up the courage to walk up to the other. On the one hand, Gaara wasn't exactly an inviting fellow. More importantly, though, Naruto didn't have the kind of confidence around people needed to strike up a conversation with a total stranger. Perhaps he'd had it at a more tender age, but life had beaten it out of him.

His shoulders sagged as he resigned himself to go home. Or, at the very least, idle around, at a convenience store or something. Then, he froze as he felt it. The icy feeling of those eyes on him. It seemed Gaara had noticed his staring again. This time, there was no going around it. Gaara narrowed his eyes in a slight glare, causing Naruto to tense up even more. They were a few feet away from each other, yet the sudden oppresive atmosphere didn't give that feeling.

''What are you looking at?''Gaara asked coldly.

Quickly enough, Naruto masked his inner turmoil and shrugged, shoving his hands in his pockets.

''Nothing. Sensitive much?''

_Yeah, get him angry. _That's _a good idea. _After a small moment where the two of them glared at each other like they were straight out of a shonen manga, Naruto let out a huff and brushed past him. To his surprise, he got no response from Gaara, despite the more-than-abundant animosity he felt coming from his direction. Well, for all the scary demeanor he had, he was still just a normal guy, right? Naruto found himself feeling silly for believing Gaara would actually pick a fight. Not everyone was as short-fused as him.

Leaving the silent boy behind him, Naruto continued onwards, shoulders slumped, towards his house. He had given up on trying to find something to busy himself with outside. He would just go home and go straight to his room, hopefully avoiding any...unwanted company. Yep. That's what he would do. He convinced himself of that as he walked at an unusually slow pace to his destination.

Before long, he began walking faster, a little more every minute. This, of course, without even noticing it himself. He got home in ten minutes instead of the usual fifteen. Then, for some reason, he lingered in front of the door. He stared at the knob, and that kept his thoughts from wandering. Finally, he reached for it and opening the door, stepping inside with a loud:

''I'm home.''

A minute passed, without an answer. There was no one home, apparently. Jiraiya was out on an errand of something, probably, and...Naruto's arms fell limply at his sides. He spent a moment staring at the floor, before he frowned, fed up with himself, and bolted to his room. Why was he so surprised? Coming home to an empty house was no less than what he expected.

* * *

**SEE WHAT I DID THERE? In chap 2, I hinted there would be a transfer student. Foreshadowing, people. I be all over that.**

**-slaps self-**

**Though I ended it here, there will be more Gaara-related plot to come. There will be more EVERYBODY-RELATED PLOT to come. I just need ta' get my head together.**

**Next chapter just miiiiight be in Minato's POV.**

**Hope you enjoyed this~**


	5. Chapter 5

**I'll be surprised if anyone is still interested in this after the time I took to update...Oh well. I won't make excuses: I had time to write, and I didn't. And there were many times where I opened the document, only to close it a few moments later since I had no inspiration. **

**But here is the update nonetheless, and quite a lengthy one at that!**

**Thank you for the reviews, follows and faves!**

**Enjoy!**

**Also, after debating upon it, I've decided to just give up and name their town Konoha like in most fanfics, because it makes my life all the easier XD ~~~**

**I APOLOGIZE FOR ALL THE GLARING ERRORS. I'M MUCH TOO LAZY TO PROOF-READ MY STUFF. **

* * *

**Chapter 5: Fathers Don't Have it Easy Either**

Minato watched his son go, a warm smile on his face. After he had wished him a safe day, the boy had looked so flustered, and had dashed out of the kitchen without a word. Minato thought nothing of it: he understood why Naruto was so reserved around him – reserved probably wasn't the right to describe Naruto's volatile behavior, but Minato was polite enough to leave it at that. It was his fault, as the adult, as the one who had abandonned him. He would endure the cold shoulder from his son as long as necessary, and in the meantime, he would strive to redeem himself.

He finished washing the dishes when he heard someone shuffle in the kitchen. _Naruto? He's really going to be late at this rate..._Minato turned around and instead of his son, he saw the boy's guardian. Jiraiya looked just as sleepy as Naruto had twenty minutes prior. Not to mention they had both shuffled here as well. It was endearing how similar they were, no doubt from living together as a small family for sixteen years, but Minato couldn't help feeling a hint of jealousy.

''Good morning, Jiraiya-san'', Minato said cheerfully.

''Mornin'...'', the middle-aged man replied in a yawn.

Jiraiya blinked, looking around, and asked:

''Where's Naruto?''

Minato couldn't hold back a chuckle.

''You two are really alike.''

''Oi, oi, comparing me to that strawhead? Is that how you talk to your mentor?''

''Forgive me'', Minato smiled. ''You missed Naruto by a few minutes. Here, care for some pancakes?''

Jiraiya eyed the plate set on the table. They still looked as appetizing as before, yet he made a face and protested:

''Absolutely not! I won't eat any meal that isn't made with a woman's love.''

Minato chuckled. His teacher hadn't changed one bit in sixteen years. He looked more relaxed, more laid-back, had even gained a few pounds here and there, but that was it. He was still a self-proclaimed ladies-man, stubborn in his own ways. Somehow, it reassured Minato that not much had changed. It made him feel like he hadn't missed out on a lot, but he knew that was merely wishful thinking. Jiraiya was in his thirties when Minato had left, so it was normal that he was still relatively the same. Naruto, however, was but a baby at the time, a newborn...

Before long, Minato began thinking of his conversation with Jiraiya the night before. They had discussed many things; the events revolving around his departure mostly, and what he intended to do now. His most pressing concern was Naruto. He wanted to pick things up where he'd left them, but...A shadow passed over his face. There was something else he wanted to do. Or at least, he felt compelled to do, no matter how hard he tried to bury the feelings bringing him that resolve.

''Minato, what's eating you?''

Jiraiya's sudden question pulled Minato out of his inner conflict. Eyes wide and blinking, he looked at his old teacher. _Was I really that transparent just now? I have to keep it together...I don't want Jiraiya or Naruto to worry. _Minato flashed one of his brilliant smiles – like he had a whole bagful of them and could just pull one out whenever he so pleased – and, with a convincing, firm tone, assured:

''Sorry, I was spacing out!''

To make his lie more believable, Minato scratched his chin, smiling sheepishly.

''I was just thinking of Naruto...He's grown so much...''

Somewhere during his sentence, Minato became truly honest in his words and his voice nearly stuck in his throat. Holding back the excess emotion, he chuckled:

''He's almost a man, now. And he didn't need me at all to become one...''

''Ha! That's a good one! That knucklehead is so far from the road of becoming a man he couldn't see it if he used a telescope.''

''T-That's a little harsh, Jiraiya-san...It's my son you're talking about!''

''I know. But, there are still countless things you must teach that boy, so don't take your curtain call yet.''

Minato listened to him intently, his words serving as a balm to his worries and doubts. Jiraiya was right. No matter what, taking care of Naruto, shouldering his responsibility as a father...That was his priority. He was sixteen years late, yes, but it didn't change the fact that Naruto was still young. Minato had time. He couldn't waste that time with hesitation, or self-pity. With a small but meaningful smile, Minato said:

''You're right. That's what I decided I would do, too. Thank you, Jiraiya-san.''

''Eh, don't thank me. After living with your brat of a son for sixteen years, gratitude just sounds weird to my ears.''

Jiraiya topped his sentence with a sudder, earning another chuckle from Minato. The atmosphere became lighter, Jiraiya eventually giving in to his hunger and devouring the pancakes. Minato joined him, eating his share. They engaged in casual conversation, casual meaning not negative and/or dramatic, as opposed to their discussion earlier and the night before. They couldn't start talking about the weather or other mundane things just yet, but they could work up to it.

Mainly, Minato asked a gazillion questions about his son, finding he had an endless supply of them, from important to insignificant. For instance, his school performance, his hobbies, his habits, his fears – if he had any – and so forth. Minato knew the right thing to do was the ask Naruto directly, but he couldn't help his curiosity and impatience. Furthermore, there would be plenty of time for them to get to know each other better later on. He was merely grazing the surface right now.

When Minato brought up the matter of Naruto's friends, Jiraiya sighed visibly. This unsettled the younger of the two, yet Minato kept quiet.

''He's an aggressive little ball of anger that kid, ya know? It's always been tough for him making friends. But, if you want to go deeper into that matter, you're better off asking _her._''

''Who?''

''Well...his shrink.''

Minato's already worry-stained face displayed an even greater dismay at Jiraiya's words. Apparently, something, or many things – quite probably Minato's absence – had affected Naruto so much, to the point where his mental state needed to be monitored, and treated every now and then. He could picture it now, his poor son being riddled with questions, oppressed in a small room with the sound of water drops falling from a nearby sink slowly driving him mad and-

''Oi, oi, calm down, Minato. Lots of kids his age have shrinks; it's not that uncommon. Just to help deal with their run-of-the-mill adolescent drama and crisis. You know how teenagers are.''

''R-really?''

''Of course. Sure, Naruto is a bit different. He is required to go through regular check-ups, unlike other teenagers who can just go whenever they please or whenever their parents force them. Naruto has an issued doctor's order. It's because of his temper problem.''

Minato remained quiet, mulling over the words. Jiraiya had told him about his son's problem yesterday, without developping upon it. As such, Minato hadn't thought about it much, discarding it since he could only think highly of his boy. Granted, Naruto was hostile by nature, but putting it into a official term, _anger management issue_, felt wrong. It felt unfair. Naruto held a good amount of rage in him – and he had every right to – which didn't mean he had to be branded a doctor's case.

Again, this was most likely all his fault. Minato's shoulders slumped and his brow creased, concern and guilt once again washing over him. Naruto had suffered more than his father had originally thought. His resolve faltered again, but just for a split-second. This meant nothing. Putting it into a different wording meant nothing: Minato had already witnessed Naruto's volatile personality, had already acknowledged it to be how he was. He didn't mind in the slightest. He only had pride for his son who had come this far on his own, dealing with whatever crap the world had sent his way.

''Ma, it's really not as bad as you think. You should meet with his doctor. She can be a bit scary but she's a good person. Ahh, and she used to be such a looker...''

Minato's eyes suddenly glistened with the realization of something.

''Jiraiya-san, you can't possibly mean...''

''Yep'', the old man grinned. ''It's her.''

* * *

Ending his conversation with Jiraiya in a haste, Minato made his way to the hospital where his current 'person of interest' was said to work. Upon entering the building, the first thing that struck him was not the sterile atmosphere or the pasty white of the walls, rather, it was the memories the place brought him. In this hospital, sixteen years ago, he had gained a little bundle of joy, a most precious gift...while losing something he treasured beyond normal boundaries. He stopped in the middle of the lobby, his legs becoming as heavy as lead momentarily.

Eventually, he snapped out of it, becoming aware of the glances people were sending his way. He tried to cheer himself up. This was neither the time nor place to let his emotions get the better of him. It was far too early to start reminiscing and let gloom take over for the rest of the day. He had things to do. Holding his head high, he walked to the front counter. The receptionist had her nose buried in a stack of papers, but if he leaned over, Minato could see she was looking at the tiny screen of a cell phone.

He cleared his throat, offering a polite smile. The receptionist, a young woman with short brown hair, scrunched up her nose in irritation. Reluctantly, in the 'I'm only doing this for the money'' way, she tore her eyes from her phone and looked up at Minato, in what was almost a glare. However, once she took in Minato fully – his smile, his face, his hair – her expression changed into one of beatitude, her mouth agape and her eyes wide. She appeared unable to speak up, thus Minato began by asking:

''Hello, I'm aiming to speak with the Head doctor. Would that be possible?''

''U-um...I...I think so. Just a moment, please.''

There was an obvious lapse in time before the woman looked away from Minato and reached for the phone – the hospital's line. She spoke briefly into the receiver, before turning to Minato and asking:

''M-may I ask for your name, sir?''

''Minato Namikaze'', he answered with a smile.

Looking even more hot and bothered than before, the receptionist repeated the name into the receiver, almost tripping over it many times. She hung up a moment later and once again turned to Minato, seemingly pleased with herself and, more importantly, delighted to have been of service to him. She looked at him with adoration, drawling out her words as if she clearly wasn't interested in their content, merely in whom they were intended towards.

''She's in her office, in the Administration wing, at the very end. She's waiting for you there.''

''Thank you. I appreciate your help...''

Spotting her name tag, he quickly finished:

''Aiko.''

As the woman slipped into a state of half-consciousness, Minato walked away from the counter, heading to his desired location. Upon reaching it, he stared at the door for a moment. He knew the person awaiting in the next room, and like everyone in his past he hadn't seen her for sixteen years. Moreover, given the way he had left, this meeting would be nothing short of a confrontation. Normally, that would've been fine, if only...

''Come in!''a haughty voice ordered.

Minato jumped, taken by surprise. She had detected his presence without him even knocking?! With a somewhat fearful, crooked smile, Minato slowly opened the door. Finally, he opened it fully and stood in the door frame, hesitant to step in just yet. There were two people in the room; one sitting at a desk and the other standing next to it, almost at attention. With an unsure, yet ever-so soft voice, Minato greeted:

''It's been a while, Tsunade-sama. You-''

Minato trailed off. The woman looking at him from her desk, with the hazelnut eyes he remembered to this day was, without a doubt, Tsunade Senju, Konoha's best and brightest doctor, respected by the citizens well enough to be granted the honorific '-sama'. However, the resemblance to the woman he knew sixteen years ago was much too uncanny, bringing him a discomfort he quickly masked before he got his face pounded in.

Her hair was the same blonde he'd last seen her with. Hair could be bleached and dyed, this much he understood. But her skin was smooth and had a healthy glow beyond what makeup could do, although she did wear a considerable amount, as per her custom. Was this the power of Botox? Could it really give such drastic results? Tsunade was in her fifties, like Jiraiya. By that age, she should have had wrinkles around her eyes and mouth, at the very least. Yet she looked like a woman in her thirties, still brimming with youth. Surely, this was a special ''Tsunade-patented'' treatment.

''You haven't changed at all'', he finished with a forced smile.

''Minato. It's great to see you.''

Despite her welcoming words, Minato felt the small, warning undertone to her voice, advising him not to make _any _negative comments about her appearance. His smile spread further, signalling his unconditional compliance. He even lifted his hands in a motion of surrender, to ensure she was successfully subdued. Then – and only then – Tsunade flashed him a brilliant grin, getting up from her seat.

''Geez...so you've finally returned, huh? What took you so long?''

''Well, you know...'', Minato laughed sheepishly. ''I wanted to come back earlier, but...''

''Yes, yes, save it. I see you haven't changed one bit since we last saw each other.''

_You shouldn't be talking!_Minato thought desperately to himself. Tsunade gestured towards the woman standing by her, a slender woman with short, black hair. Said woman stood up even straighter than before, aware of the sudden shift in attention. Upon closer inspection, she looked somewhat familiar to Minato. Before he could give it deeper thought, Tsunade explained:

''This here is Shizune, my assistant. You remember her, right? I was still training her when you left.''

''So that's why she looked familiar. It's a pleasure to see you again, Shizune-san.''

Minato capped his sentence with a respectful bow, ever so attentive towards the ones he spoke with. A pale shade of pink tinted Shizune's cheeks for a brief moment, and she nodded frantically.

''Likewise, Namikaze-san.''

''Ma, no need to act formal around him, Shizune! This guy knew you when you still had braces!''

''E-even so...''

''That being said! Minato, what do you say we go catch up over some sake?''

''T-Tsunade-sama! You're on duty until midnight, you mustn't leave before that. Especially not for drinking!''

''I'll do what I damn well please!''

Minato's eyes drifted from one to another, a nervous smile plastered on his face. No matter the years that passed, Tsunade still enjoying ditching her responsibilities to go drinking. He wondered if she had stopped gambling. If so, than that would be improvement enough. Shizune reminded her boss of an important operation scheduled later in the afternoon, and soon Tsunade was biting down on her nail. She wasn't getting out of this one. Or rather, she herself felt compelled to stay and oversee her duties. That was yet another thing about her. Whenever something mattered to her, she would see it through.

''Looks like we won't get all the time we want. Not today, anyway. Sorry.''

''That's alright'', Minato assured her. ''We'll go for sake another time. But, if I may, I did come here with a few questions.''

Tsunade raised an eyebrow at him. Sitting down and knitting her fingers together over her desk, she said:

''It's only natural that you did. Ask away.''

Minato remained quiet, collecting his thoughts. He had originally planned what he would ask and in what order, but all his preparation had been in vain. Now, he faltered, wondering if prying into his son's life was right, or justified, or if he even wanted to know. Most of all probable answers to his questions would merely prove his failure as a father further, and he already felt lousy enough. After a moment, he asked hesitantly:

''Is it really necessary for Naruto to have follow-ups with you?''

Minato noticed the subtle shift in Tsunade's expression at the simple mention of her son. It softened, as if she could only hold tender thoughts towards him. As quickly as it had come, however, her expression changed again to a serious one. She locked eyes with Minato, deciding she wouldn't be sugar-coating anything. Not that she ever did.

''I take it you've met him.''

''Yes.''

''You've noticed what a short fuse he has, right?''

''Yes'', Minato said, lowered his chin slightly. ''But, isn't that—''

''Normal? To some extent, maybe. But Naruto's anger goes far beyond your average teenage rebel. It's caused him to lash out in public, and use violence against his peers.''

Minato took in the news like a punch to the gut. Jiraiya hadn't shared this with him, probably for lack of time, so he hadn't expected it. His son...was he really like that? Did he really have that much pent up rage in him? There it was again: the confirmation that he had failed as a father. Tsunade observed him patiently, letting the words sink in. She wouldn't relent; Minato needed to have everything layed on him at once, so he could accept it and move forward. She knew he could take it: the man was sensitive, but he wasn't a coward. Or a push-over.

''This started when he was quite young, but it doesn't have everything to do with you.''

Minato raised his head at this, paying keen attention to Tsunade.

''Yes, your leaving is the oldest and strongest source of his anger. That being said, it's not the only one. The fact that, throughout his life, he was shunned by his peers helped add to it.''

''Shunned? What...Why?''

''A very small handful of people know of the story behind your departure, Minato. Even fewer know of the exact circumstances in which you left. As such, and because all 'witnesses' were sworn to secrecy, Naruto's true identity remained a secret to the majority. Yet, at your request, he was told to carry his surname; Uzumaki.''

''That...didn't cause him trouble, did it? No one could tie it to-''

''No. Not with how the entire story was covered up. But suspicions still spawned towards this child whose past remained so elusive, and whose name inspired the memory of a shady story. Rumors and speculations were spread left and right too. Naruto didn't stand a chance against that. Parents had already united together with the conviction that he was bad news before he even entered grade school.''

''No...How could they...be so cruel...''

''You know how society works here. Those without a name hardly find their place...like outcasts. Because he was known to all as an Uzumaki, Naruto could not be related to Jiraiya. And since he couldn't possibly be related to the prestigious Uzumaki family...he was without a true name – and clan – for himself.''

The irony was almost funny. Upon Naruto's birth, Minato had wished for him to carry on his beloved's name in the hopes that people would respect him for it. Whether or not he was directly tied to the Head family, the name should have inspired good will from any and all. But, of course, with the stir within the Uzumaki clan at the time, their image was bound to be tainted. Minato's attempt to protect his son had backfired. His shoulders slumped in defeat.

''In the end, it's all my fault after all...''

''Wipe that pitiful look off your face. All these years, Jiraiya and I could only watch in silence, because we knew that speaking up would only risk endangering Naruto. But, you're here now. You can turn things around.''

Minato didn't look up at her, still brooding. Her words reached his ears, but they weren't enough to get his attention. What could he do, at this point? He had already caused Naruto to suffer so much, so was it really worth it to try and fix things now? Could things even be fixed? He felt like his presence would only bring his son more pain: like re-opening an old wound. If that was the case, then the only right thing to do was to leave...

''OI! DO I NEED TO SLAP YOU OR SOMETHING?!''

Minato snapped at attention, looking at her with wide eyes.

''Geez...! When did you become such a pussbag? Look here, it's not too late to make things right. You have one of two choices. Either claim Naruto as your son to all who may hear it, making him into a Namikaze. Or...you find a way to have him reclaim his true lineage.''

''But that...Can it really be done? What about..._him_?''

''Obito?''

Minato nodded grimly, the name striking dread and hatred – something no one else could accomplish – in his heart. Tsunade's mood seemed to have soured as well at his mention, but she continued:

''I'm sure Jiraiya told you this already, but he's in the Diet now. He's busy dabbling in politics now, so he's out of the picture.''

''But-''

''But nothing. Whatever you do, you have to make a decision. Jiraiya and I will back you up, remember that. Now's not the time to show your weak side, Minato. You have to be strong, for your son.''

* * *

The late afternoon sun was beginning to set, far off in the distance. Surrounded by tall grass, he could hear the sound of crickets chippering was a slight breeze ruffling his hair, and making a beautiful music as it shook leaves from the trees of the nearby forest. There was no one else but him around. He welcomed the silence; he needed it. This was a moment meant for him alone, to re-unite with his other half, that he had left behind.

''And that's what happened...Tsunade really knows how to be persuasive, huh? I couldn't argue with her at all!''

Minato sighed, looking up at the sky with a small, lingering smile. It was beginning to turn orange, and he wondered briefly about the time. It was getting late, that much he could tell. He honestly hadn't noticed time flying by; he had been here for hours already – ever since leaving the hospital - and he was only now realizing it. He let out a chuckle, that sounded devoid of any real cheer. Time really went by fast when with beloved ones.

''I should be getting back soon...I was planning on welcoming Naruto back from school today.''

Despite himself, his eyes veiled over, and his features morphed in a look of long-endured sadness and loneliness. He clasped his hands together against his mouth, as if to hold back his emotions. Trying once more to act in high spirits, and only failing mid-sentence, he said:

''I'm not sure what to tell him...I don't know what to do. What I _should _do. I know I have to be there for him, like Jiraiya and Tsunade have told me...but I'm not even sure how to do that.''

His misty eyes looked up at the stone grave in front of which he sat.

''I wish you were here...''

_We could help each other through this. We would support each other, like we did in the past. We always thought that, together, we could achieve anything. I really need you here. _He choked out the last word:

''...Kushina.''

* * *

**Soo even though I wanted to depict Minato as the perf human being that he is, I decided to instead give him flaws and weaknesses, like a normal human being. **

**Part of the mystery is unfoldingggg -makes ghost-like noises-**

**Hope you liked it! **


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